2016 BMCCF Kick-Off Party

Our gracious hosts for this year’s Kick-Off:

AutoWorksLynn Wilson, Carl Wilson & Dorothy Wilson

What a PARTY - great hosts, wonderful food, new and old friends, safety education, cars - cars and more cars, and our

own talented “Rusty Bumpers”.BMCCF THANKS YOU

Lots of guests - this year, our host Carl Wilson, invited another car club - the “Grand Strand British Car Club” - what a really nice group of fellow British auto enthusiasts - nine couple attended from Myrtle Beach. I’m sure

we’ll see them again, at least I hope so. We had picture perfect weather and we all love

the smell of dripping oil, lively motor car exchanges and just really nice friends to spend

the day with.

Carl knows about safety and the hazards of working around gasoline, so he invited a guest

speaker to help us avoid the dangers of working on our cars. It was so interesting and he shared some of his horror stories. Yes, he

has been there also. Members of the audience shared some of their own mishaps. Sparky

said a few words on dealing with a burn - first hand (so to speak).

We had everything from works in progress to concourse beauties. AutioWorks brought this

golden baby back to life. Howard Bollinger is no stranger to undertaking large projects and

this one has a long family history. He had pictures from the 60’s showing how awesome

this car was in it’s youth.You go Howard...

Our Events Coordinator - Eric Robinson having a little refreshment. He’s a true Britt, loves cars, is an

accomplished actor, organizes our activities and “yes” he loves to enjoy himself on occasion. Did you know

last year he organized a Club trip to England. He also may be madly insane - he volunteered to be a sort of

permanent Car Show Chairman and act as Events Chairman both at the same time.

Our Host, Carl wondering when he’s going to finish his next project.The President of Grand Strand British Car Club >>>

Our Madame Secretary Pam McMahon enjoying a refreshment and living life large. She is one amazing person, besides

performing her duties as secretary, she has been in a number of movies as an extra. She is extra special to us and we are so

grateful to our members that step up and undertake the many responsibilities that come along with having a successful Club. We

welcome everyone’s participation.

Our own “Rusty Bumpers” - it’s really a family matter - two husbands and wives - ALL Club members -

Larry Snider, Ray Berndt, Ron & Beth Foster, JoAnne Foster, Jeff & Paula Starling, Judy Mebane, Ed Dominelli

If you double click you can hear and see the band perform (hopefully).

Spider: Alfa Romeo’s turns 50Hemmings Daily - Kurt Ernst

The Pininfarina-designed two-seat roadster debuted by Alfa Romeo in 1966 was not the company’s first attempt at building a Spider, but it was by far its most successful. Even today, over two decades after the last new Alfa Romeo Spider model was offered on these shores, the car remains the brand’s most-recognized product, thanks in part to its starring role in the 1967 blockbuster, The Graduate. As Italian semi-exotics go, the Spider is an attainable dream car, and in 2016, the Giulia-based Alfa Romeo Spider celebrates its golden anniversary.

The term “spider” (always with an “i” and not a “y” when speaking of Italian cars) refers to any lightweight sporting roadster, but its evolution goes farther back than the automobile. Originally, a “spyder phaeton” was a lightweight and open-top horse carriage, built with two or four wheels, and the name logically carried over to the automobile in the early days of the 20th century. While Alfa certainly produced such vehicles in the prewar years, its Giulietta Spider was the first Alfa Romeo marketed with the Spider name, debuting in 1955.

In 1962, Alfa Romeo debuted the Giulia (known as the 105-series), which replaced the 101-series Giulietta. Ultimately, the Spider would migrate to this platform, but more commercially desirable sedan and wagon variants were introduced first. Design partner Pininfarina went back to concept cars for the new Spider’s styling, choosing elements from the 1956 Super Flow, the 1957 Super Flow 2, the 1959 Tre S, and the 1961 Giulietta Spider Speciale Aerodinamica (which came closest in appearance to the production variant).

It would take another four years for Alfa Romeo to introduce the new Spider, which first appeared in March of 1966 at the Geneva Motor Show. Oddly enough, it debuted without an official name, referred to as the “Spider 1600” for the size of the four-cylinder engine beneath its sloping hood. A contest was announced to choose the name of the new Alfa, and in July of 1966 the car became the Alfa Romeo Duetto Spider (at least temporarily).

On paper, the new Duetto Spider had much to offer. Its all-alloy engine featured steel cylinder liners for durability, and its double-overhead cam design and hemispherical heads spoke to Alfa’s racing past. At a time when four-speed transmissions were the norm, the Duetto Spider came with a five-speed, and four-wheel disc brakes were standard instead of the typical front-disc, rear-drum arrangement. All this came at a price, however, and in certain markets (Britain, for example), the Alfa was more expensive than the Lotus Elan and less than 100 pounds (then, $280) cheaper than a Jaguar E-type. In America, its $3,950 sticker price made it $1,343 more expensive than an MGB and $1,051 more than a Triumph TR4A.

Though pricing certainly impacted initial sales, it was the car’s styling that proved most controversial. Even Italians panned the lines of the Duetto Spider, referring to it as “osso di sepia,” or “cuttlefish bone,” a jab at its boattail rear styling. As Chris Rees points out in Original Alfa Romeo Spider, Road & Track called its shape, “a contrived design with meaningless styling gimmicks,” while Motor Sport was even more blunt, calling the Alfa “scarcely pretty.” It’s ironic, perhaps, that the original cars, which lasted until the Kamm tail debuted in 1969, now carry the highest price tags.

In America, the Duetto Spider disappeared for 1968, unable to meet U.S. emission control regulations with its dual-carburetor setup. In 1969, the Spider reappeared on these shores without the Duetto name (which had been dropped worldwide due to trademark conflicts), but equipped with Spica fuel injection and a larger, 1,779-cc four-cylinder engine. Instead of promoting this as a 1.8-lter, Alfa Romeo instead opted to refer to it as a 1,750; as Terry Shea points out in the May 2015 issue of Hemmings Sports & Exotic Car, this was done as a nod to the company’s prewar 6C 1750, which proved dominant in prewar European racing.

The Kamm tail appeared for the 1970 model year, and as bumper regulations grew more complex, the distinctive Alfa Romeo grille became little more than a secondary styling element. The engine upsized again in 1972, to 1,962 cc, where it would remain for the rest of the Spider’s production. When the Giulia platform was phased out in 1976, the Spider was supposed to die with it, but the proposed

Alfetta-based replacement never materialized. Instead, the Spider stayed the course on its old platform, soldiering on until the 1993 model year, though a limited number were produced for sold in the United States in 1994, Alfa Romeo’s last year in the U.S. until the exotic 8C debuted in 2008.

The Mazda Miata-based Fiat Spider that will debut in 2016 was originally intended to be a new Alfa Romeo Spider, but perhaps it’s best to remember the roadster that was instead of the multinational product that might have been. For a generation of Americans that were introduced to the joys (and pitfalls) of Italian sports cars by the Alfa Romeo Spider, there’s no denying that it left a lasting impression.

Yes, we know it’s not British, but some members own pizza cars in our Club

Video: Ride along with Charlie in his barn find MGBHagerty UK employee Charlie Patterson's 1972 MGB was in quite a dilapidated state when he discovered it in a barn, covered in straw. He eventually acquired it and turned it into a family project, restoring it with his father. Click here to take a cruise with Charlie on a picturesque English lane.

Compliments of Hagerty

From LBCar Co. Tech Tips

Our Tech Tip this issues tip is from Bob Howard. Thanks Bob ($20.00 will be credited to your LBCarCo account) Please contact us ASAP for further info.

Home Made Bezel Removal Tool

A tool to remove bezels from indicator lights, made by filing away part of a T connector

for 1/2 inch copper water tube, leaving teeth to fit into the slots of the bezel.‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾

Practical Classics Guide to Triumph Stag

Posted on January 26, 2016 by Staff in Classic Cars, Highlights, Library, Triumph - (This is for our Eric)The Triumph Stag combines classic car style with on the road fun. The noise, the looks, the effortlessness… it’s an intoxicating driver’s car and has been underrated for years. Now Practical Classics magazine has released their “Complete Guide to the Triumph Stag“.

Quoting their announcement, “lavishly illustrated, this volume collects a wealth of historical, technical and personal insight from the pages of Practical Classics magazine, including the full Stag story: from drawing board to production, an exclusive foreword by ex-Standard Triumph Development Engineer, Dennis Barbet and rally legend Russell Brookes’ personal take on the Stag at the limit.”Buying & OwningPractical Classics gets to the truth about the much-maligned Stag V8. Complete with tips and guidance for project buyers and budding restorers alike, we’ll tell you how to buy a good one without getting your fingers burnt.Restoring & MaintainingEpic tales, myths and legends. Readers’ rebuild tales of woe and wonder. Service guides and maintenance tutorials to keeping your cherished Stag in tip-top order.

Driving & EnjoyingThe story of the Stag told from beginning to end with period adverts, anecdotes, and interviews. Followed by road tests and comparisons that lift the lid on what this British icon means to the classic car enthusiast.

For more information, a preview, or to order, check out the Classic Cars For Sale website.

Chimney Rock Hill ClimbPosted on January 13, 2016 by Michael Carnell in Classic Cars, Highlights, Racing and Competition

Our video this week is a great period piece celebrating the Chimney Rock Hillclimb which ran in North Carolina for approximately four decades.

The Chimney Rock Hillclimb was the most legendary hillclimb in the South. Held in Chimney Rock, North Carolina, it was a rite of spring for both drivers and spectators. Beginning in 1956 when sports cars and sports car racing was still in its infancy, the climb challenged Triumphs, Jaguars, MG’s and their drivers to a high-speed rollercoaster ride that scared even the most fearless. With two miles of hairpins and switchbacks and trees for guard rails, it was an event to behold. Sadly the challenge to the mountain came to an end as a result of “changing times”. In 1995 “the Rock” fell asleep again.

Chimney Rock Circa 1960 videoCompliments of YouTube

OLD CAR MOVIESFrom Bruce Allcorn

NOTE: You will never see an email like this,

keep it in your document file and watch the many old car movies, this

is a classic ...

IF YOU ARE A CAR BUFF

THIS IS EXTRAORDINARY...YOU WILL SPEND HOURS GOING OVER THIS... NO MATTER WHAT BRAND OF CAR YOU ENJOYED, IT'S REFERENCED IN THIS LINE UP.

(Enjoy, click on the video camera next to each item to view.). May not work on

iPads, iPhones, etc.

http://www.tvraaca.org/oldmovies.htm#movie

Sent to us by David WardSobering thoughts about our life.The last wishes of Alexander the Great........On his death bed, Alexander summoned his army generals andtold them his three ultimate wishes: 1. The best doctors should carry his coffin .. 2. The wealth he has accumulated (money, gold, precious stones)should be scattered along the procession to the cemetery ....

3. His hands should be let loose, so they hang outside the coffin forall to see ! One of his generals who was surprised by these unusual requestsasked Alexander to explain. Here is what Alexander the Great had to say: 1. I want the best doctors to carry my coffin to demonstrate thatin the face of death, even the best doctors in the world have nopower to heal ." 2. "I want the road to be covered with my treasure so thateverybody sees that material wealth acquired on earth, will stayon earth.." 3. I want my hands to swing in the wind, so that peopleunderstand that we come to this world empty handed and weleave this world empty handed after the most precious treasureof all is exhausted, and that is: TIME. We do not take to our grave any material wealth. TIME is our mostprecious treasure because it is LIMITED. We can produce morewealth, but we cannot produce more time.

When we give someone our time, we actually give a portion of our lifethat we will never take back . Our time is our life ! The best present that you can give to your family and friends is yourTIME.

May God grant YOU plenty of TIME, to share with all.

BMCCF Stuffs from YOU:

BMCCFClassified Ads

Nothing this month.

BMCCF Classified Information: BMCCF Regalia - Ralph Jannelli - 704.351.0864http://www.fourth-gear-ltd.com

BMCCF NAME TAGS Official BMCCF name tags are required at all events or when you are representing the club. Originally ordered name tags are now available from John Moore $5.50 Pin Clasp $8.00 Magnet Clasp

AUTOWORKS, INC. Foreign & Domestic Auto Specialists We service all types of vehicles From 1950’s to Present Day Emissions Testing, Front end alignment A/C repair Carl Wilson (910) 791-5074 202 Antilles Ct. ( In Dutch Square industrial park ) Wilmington, NC 28405 Free Advice to BMCCF Members

That’s All Folks Thank You

For your contributions to this newsletter